NOCATEE, Fla. – A 64-year-old St. Johns County man who faces DUI charges in connection with a golf cart crash that left his wife dead will not face any felony charges, according to his attorney.
In a statement sent to News4JAX, the attorney said that he negotiated a resolution with the State Attorney’s Office, and that the man will face misdemeanor charges as well as being placed on probation for about six months.
The crash, which was reported around 10:45 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Recollection Drive and Dawes Avenue in Nocatee, led to a woman in her 50s falling off the golf cart and hitting her head on the ground.
She was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition but later died.
Her husband was charged with DUI and refusal to submit to DUI testing. Additionally, the husband’s arrest report stated that he had bloodshot, watery eyes, and the smell of alcohol was detected on him from 3 feet away in an open area.
At the time, neighbors told News4JAX that speeding and unsafe golf cart use have become a growing problem in that area.
“We woke up to all the lights out here, came outside, saw that, in fact, she was already loaded in the ambulance, I think, by the time we got out here,” said one area resident named Barnes.
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Neighbors we spoke with also said that the couple might have been coming off a nature trail before crashing. It’s a popular cut-through for families, runners, and golf carts heading to the Nocatee Town Center.
However, many say safety has been a concern since the path opened.
“It’s just very unsafe because the golf carts go really fast. And you see a lot of young people too, that, you know, they probably don’t even have the age to be driving a golf cart, and, you know, then the golf cart is going really fast. So it’s a concern,” neighbor Yariela Farkas said.
Neighbors added that they just want drivers to be more mindful and take safety seriously so no one else ends up hurt.